Customer Relations - FAQ's
Q: How long has Mideo been involved with imaging for forensics?
A: Mideo has provided imaging solutions to forensic labs and law enforcement agencies throughout the
county for over 20 years.
Q: What products does Mideo provide?
A: CASEWORKS is a flexible and secure enterprise software application that manages forensic lab and law
enforcement agency images and digital assets.
CASEWORKS COMPARE MODULE provides comparative analysis tools specifically designed for
forensic scientists.
CASEWORKS KIOSK MODULE provides a wizard-like workflow for high volume applications such as
Photo Lab.
LATENT PRINT WORKFLOW MODULE is a workflow engine specifically for latent print
examiners. It is based on the ACE-V workflow model and follows the SWGIT and SWGFAST guidelines.
COURSE DELIVERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM provides electronic testing, grading, assessment and
analytics for latent print examiners.
WEB VIEWER/PRINTER MODULE provides secure access to case data from remote locations via the
internet. Any authorized user can have immediate access to case information.
CASEWORKS LIMS Connect is a “middleware” imaging software program that is LIMS specific and is
designed to integrate with information from the LIMS, providing temporary storage, and then submitting
information to the LIMS for permanent storage. It is custom built for a specific LIMS.
EZDoc 2.0 is provided as a standalone software package for documentation and comparative analysis.
It does not require a database and images can be saved into traditional Windows file folders.
Q: Do I need an image server to use the Mideo software products?
A: No. While an image server is ideal for certain large scale situations, it is not necessary. Mideo personnel
can work with you to build a design that best meets your existing infrastructure.
Q: Can Mideo manage all of the digital assets throughout out an agency beyond the forensic lab, including
crime scene images?
A: CASEWORKS can handle the volume generated in the forensic lab, the photo lab, and remote substations.
This allows an agency to have all of their digital assets ((lab and investigative services) managed under a
central database.
Q: What if I already have existing cameras, microscopes, and other digital input devices that I am using?
A: For labs that have existing microscopes and would like to be able to add imaging functionality, Mideo
provides a complete line of scientific cameras with multiple levels of resolution and c-mount adapters.
For labs that have existing cameras or output devices, they can be used through the TWAIN interface.
Q: Will using Mideo help our lab more comply with ISO and ASCLD standards?
A: Yes, all Mideo products were developed in compliance with ISO and ASCLD requirements.
Q: Can I use my handheld digital camera with the Mideo software?
A: Yes, any standard image file format (jpg, tif, png, bmp) can be opened within any Mideo software product
Q: Does Mideo track images in the database?
A: Yes. When using the Mideo CASEWORKS software all imaging activities are audited.
This includes an individual image history, documentation of any enhancements, and
versioning for any modifications that can be linked back to the original.
Q. Is a database better than a file system for storing images?
A: A database is more secure - hands down. Database technology has been getting better over the last few
years and is capable of handling extremely large files. Images of nearly any size are easily stored in a
database.
A database can provide a number of automation tools including replication, transaction backup and
logging, reporting services and more. These tools are extremely powerful and something not offered in
a simple file system.
With a database you have more control over how the data is stored - it can be partitioned into separate
areas or moved to different discs as necessary.
Q: Is CASEWORKS’ database even better than a normal database?
A: CASEWORKS only writes images to the database it never Re-writes (duplicates) the images. This is a
significant advantage of a database over a file system. People often talk about databases as being "closed".
Mideo has provided a number of tools to extract images from the CASEWORKS database without
requiring any help/input from Mideo.
While a normal database is extremely secure, CASEWORKS takes this one level further - we encrypt
digital assets inside of the database. There are two layers of security - the database itself and an extra
layer of encryption. Mideo still uses tools such as SHA (HASH) totals and transaction logging to verify
data integrity.